


Don't Need A Priestess

by i_amthecosmos



Series: NOLA [2]
Category: Cassidy Haley (Musician), Glam Rock RPF, Tommy Ratliff (Musician)
Genre: M/M, New Orleans au, Poverty, short fic, struggling to make it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-23 18:01:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11995077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_amthecosmos/pseuds/i_amthecosmos
Summary: Cassidy and Tommy keep struggling, and gain a little ground.





	Don't Need A Priestess

**Author's Note:**

> Second short story in the NOLA verse.

One  
Cassidy had been in New Orleans for six months when he saw him. In that time he had been robbed twice and his boyfriend had left him for a French Quarter bartender. He had been walking home from his bartending job, and saw a shock of blond hair attached to a young man with a guitar. He was set up over on Canal Street, playing blues on a battered old Fender. 

“You sing?” He asked the guitar player.

A dark eye ringed in eyeliner showed itself through pushed-back bleached hair. “No. But do you?”

Cassidy fell fast, bewitched again.

Two  
Tommy came to NOLA with his band. They thought they could actually make it as a metal band in a blues tourist town. The band didn’t last another three months, and everyone fucked off back home except him. Tommy had seen Bourbon Street, and didn’t need LA anymore.  
Tommy could never make his atheist brain understand what his trusting heart told him-that this city would bring him love, fame or both. It had to, because was the right place.

He didn’t need a priestess to tell him the truth about love. It was standing in front of him now. 

Three  
“Cassidy, I got another job. I’m gonna work three days at that vinyl shop in The Garden District.” Cassidy knew the store-it was for baby-boomer record collector types, and Tommy would have to take the streetcar. “We need more money, baby. We need…we need to get your guitar back.” 

Cassidy shook his head. “I don’t need my guitar right now. We’ve got to get out of here first, we need to pay the bills-“

Tommy took two steps and held him, slick skin against his. “You need your goddamn guitar too, or else you won’t make it.”

Four  
Tommy showed up at the cabaret that Cassidy danced at on Bourbon and Lee, waiting. Cassidy came over as he tipped out the bartender. “Hey,” he said. “I did alright tonight.” Tommy saw the shame Cass was trying to hide and inwardly winced. “I’m exhausted.”

“It’s okay,” Tommy said, “I got a surprise for you.” 

When they got to the Hotel Glorious, Cassidy was stunned when Tommy pulled out a guitar. “Couldn’t buy the old one back, but I got this. Good?” 

Cassidy ran his hands over the body of the guitar. “It’s good,” he said, and kissed Tommy breathless.

Five  
It was a hot, hot day. Cassidy and Tommy were in the marketplace. They both played guitar, and Cassidy would sing until they got enough change and bills. 

Tommy was starting a new job at an art gallery owned by a customer at the record store. The guy even helped them get a deposit on an apartment, and they were saying goodbye to the Hotel Glorious. Cassidy was down to only one night of go-go dancing. Today, they both had a day off.

Cassidy looked at Tommy playing, smiling in the sunshine, and thanked the gods for their love.


End file.
